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Topic: deformed wings on workers (Read 3360 times)

Hi everyone hopefully your bees are doing great. I recently took three frames from three hives to help one hive that had no brood. I installed a new queen and they released her and she is laying :) What i did see though was about 10 or so workers with deformed wings that where just emerging from the comb. Is this varroa mite symptoms ??? If so should i be treating them ???

yes that is a deformed wing virus caused by varroa mites. Have you treated at all this year? Is this a new package from earlier this year? You probably would have been better off treating them in July or at the very beginning of october while the weather is still warm, however this late in the game its going to be tough. To use something like apiguard you need to have temps daily in the 60s... i know here in the SW part of the state we are getting that tis week. Someone may be able to reccommend another product taht you can use now. Being that you just requeened, I would hesitate to use anything to harsh being that they may kill the queen since her pheremone isnt too string just yet.

you need to do it for about 4 weeks straight. are your temps going to allow for it?

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I am in pa and i dont think im going to get 4 weeks over 60 degrees i only found about 19 bees with the deformity out of 3 full frames of capped brood that emerged from the frames that i gave them. Should i wait till spring and treat them before the honey flow ???

First, understand that deformed wings are not always caused by mites although it's a good indicator of varroa. Second, make sure they are actually deformed wings and not chewed wings which might indicate fighting from robbing (common this time of year). Third, I only use oxalic acid vapor if I treat which can be used at almost any temperature and is a quick fix. Fourth, 10 or so bees is usually not as strong indicator of a serious problem...keep your eye on them for any worsening.

Scott

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you are in a tough spot. its late to treat with thymol. Its possible that the bees will be ok over the winter, but once they strat laying brood heavily again, the mites which are heavily populated in the hive aleady will just over come the colony, so Im guessing the chances are that your hive will not survive the winter. 19 bees out of three frames is concern enough for me. You can do sugar shakes on warmer days that are in the mid 60s if we get any more. Another option is to find someone with an oxalic acid vaporizor (though please not that this practice is not approved in PA but people do use it). If you can get at least one treatment on of thymol its better than nothing.... and hope for the best

I am starting to get my mind around oxalic acid treatment. I use the dribble method. I am running a double brood chamber for the 1st time this year. Do you have to break up the chambers and dribble in between each frame? Last winter I only had one chamber so its just opening the lids and dribbling.

First, understand that deformed wings are not always caused by mites although it's a good indicator of varroa. Second, make sure they are actually deformed wings and not chewed wings which might indicate fighting from robbing (common this time of year). Third, I only use oxalic acid vapor if I treat which can be used at almost any temperature and is a quick fix. Fourth, 10 or so bees is usually not as strong indicator of a serious problem...keep your eye on them for any worsening.

Don't you just hate when someone pulls out a two year old thread, then read something about it being too late in the year for treatments, etc., while thinking the replies must be from idiots who do not know what they are talking about. Then you realize your the idiot for not noticing that the post were two years old before you started formulation some response to write. :roll:

When I treat for Varroa Mites I use Formic Acid for 5 days in August when the temps drop below 90 degrees F.It's harsh stuff but I had a strong hive going into winter and strong hives this spring.A 2010 post---- Okay. lol